San Vito Festival

The patronal feast of Ravanusa

The San Vito Festival is the most important event of the year for Ravanusa, a town of nearly twelve thousand inhabitants located 420 meters above sea level in the province of Agrigento, in the heart of south-central Sicily. Every year, from June 13th to 15th, the town rallies around its patron saint in a series of religious rites and festive moments that involve the entire Ravanusa community.

Saint Vitus and Saint Anthony of Padua

A unique feature of the Ravanusa festival is the joint celebration of two saints deeply dear to popular devotion. The festivities for Saint Vitus the Martyr, the town's patron, are intertwined with those in honor of Saint Anthony of Padua, whose liturgical feast occurs on June 13th. The community's bond with the Order of Friars Minor Observant dates back to the 18th century, and even today, the celebrations center on the Santuario Maria Santissima Assunta, known to locals as 'the Convent,' where a 17th-century statue of Saint Vitus welcomes the faithful at the entrance.

Highlights of the festival

In the days leading up to and during the festival, the Sanctuary is the hub of spiritual life: every evening, the rosary and prayers are recited, followed by the Eucharistic celebration. The most solemn and anticipated moment is the civic procession, which departs from the Town Hall and winds through the streets of the center with the mayor, civil and military authorities, and local associations.

• Handing over of the city keys: the mayor symbolically entrusts the keys of Ravanusa to the Patron Saint, a sign of the community's trust in his protection.
• Solemn Mass: celebrated in the late afternoon of June 15th, the feast day of Saint Vitus, in the presence of the authorities.
• Procession of the statues: the statues of Saint Vitus and Saint Anthony parade through the town streets accompanied by the faithful.
• Fireworks display: the fireworks conclude the festivities, lighting up the town sky.

A living tradition

The San Vito Festival is not just a religious appointment, but an occasion where Ravanusa renews its identity and community bonds every year. The streets of the center come alive with people, bands accompany the processions, and the festive atmosphere unites different generations. For those visiting the province of Agrigento in June, the Ravanusa patronal feast is an authentic opportunity to discover the popular traditions of inland Sicily.